Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-10-20

sweet music on ner ears. She UNDER
stands her mothers tactics, and yet it
must be with trembling heart that she
awaits the sealing of her fate.
All prelimjnaries arranged between.
mother and lover, the daughter is
called into the room to receive the
parental blessing, instead of which she
kncels to her mother. praying not be
taken from her. She describes the
beauty of her virgin life, and declares
she has no wish to change it, prefers
her freedom 20 all else, and begs that
her mother will not make for her the
hated red petticoat, which constitutes
the principal portion of the wardrobe
of every peasant bride. The daughter
pleads, the mother caresses, and seeks
to persuade her to accept the lover, to
whom but q short time before she re-
fused to give her. The mother, while
gently stroking the glossy hair of her
child. tries to persuade her that after all
a virgin life is not the most desirable;
that God has placed her in this world
with mission which she must seek to
fulfill; that she can not always remain
at her mothers side; she must 60 out
from the parent roof and make home
for herself. All these things and many
more are said in vindication Of the life
apparently forced upon her. The
mother concludes by repeating to the
daughter all the lover has told her of
his bright hopes for the future, and the
sacrifices he Is willing to make for her
happiness. The daughter finally yields
under such persuasive words, and who
would not unless it were heart of ad-
amantp
The young people then kneel to re.
ceive the parental blessing, which is
given with great deal Of ceremony.
Then the priest is called upon to be-
stow his blessing, which is very beauti-
full and impressive. At its conclusion
he places ring on the hand of each.
This ceremony is called obrseechiny,
and is considered even more sacred
than marriage itself. The parents o.
the engaged girl arrange long tables
on which they place the samovcr and
summon the neighbors to share il
their rejoicing. The girl prepares tea
the first cup of which she hands to hel
accepted lover, then to her father ant
mother and lastly to each of thu
guests. This duty performed, she ap
pears to lose all bashfulness, and she
who but short while before bewailet
her fate so loudly, now accepts ant
even glories in the choice she ha
made. To the world she is oblivious
and thinks of none but her lover, upol
whom she lavishes all the love of he
young heart, showing by every endear
ing term and caress how great is he
worship for her hero. This change il
the girls manner is not noticed b.
parents or guests, who continue thei
tea-drinking and gossiping.
lutcc CuSdSouiOub CcleihoiiiOo III
possessed of weird and impressiv
grandeur, which no pen can describ
! in their realistic beauty.
! The pretty bit of hypocrisy practice
| both by mother and daughter-the on
unwilling to give up her child, tn
t other to leave her home-is custor
l handed down from generation to ger
Grafton. and though insincere, is fu
i of beauty and pathos. The custom
purely Slayonic, and is accepted onl
: by merchants and peasants. The Gus
Q toms of the nobility are entirely differ
3 ent from those adopted by the middl
r and lower classes.
, Now that the engagement has bee
9 entered into, we will follow our youn
people through its devious winding'
h They are now free to make their ow
S arrangements in regard to the ma
: riage, when and where it shall tax
e place, and who will be the guest
: They visit and receive friends, and al
a considered almost the same as married
5 and have altogether very pleasar
e time.-The Countess Norrdikoso, in l
g Y. Star.